Teaching in the Classroom

Example stratigraphy column on the board from the Grand Canyon, illustrating how to draw relative resistivity, rock types, determine depositional environment, and identify transgressive and regressive sequences

Classes Taught:

Earth 325: Environmental Geochemistry - an upper division class where we learn geochemistry by investigating current environmental problems, like ocean acidification and arsenic contamination in the Bengal Basin.

Earth 201: Introduction to Physical Geography - an introductory geography class with a larger lecture and smaller lab sections. We learn "why is that there, and not over there?"

Earth 151: Earth Chemistry - an introductory chem class (analogous to Chem 101) but only 30-40 students and is taught through the Earth deaprtment using Earth examples. My goal is for folks to feel good about chemistry and know they can succeed.

Earth 104: Ice Ages, Past and Future - 400 seat half-semester mini-course that introduces students to the formation of ice and how Earth's climate has varied to allow growth & melt of ice sheets throughout time.

Earth 151: The Ice Ages: Past and Present - same material as in 104, but taught in a seminar style course for first-year students. Students get to choose topics for projects to direct their own learning, and topics have been varied!

Earth 118/119: Introductory Geology: Graduate Student Instructor (GSI); lead lab and discussion sections. 4 semesters.

Earth 305: Sedimentary Geology - GSI for labs, provided clarification on lecture topics. 2 semesters.

Earth 325: Environmental Geochemistry: GSI for labs, assisted with classroom content. 2 semesters.

See "Field Teaching" and "Teaching around Covid" for other classes!

Methods Used:

  • Inquiry driven learning

  • Broad questions to promote higher level thinking and discussion

  • Encourage relating academics to lived experiences

  • Introduce materials through homework so in-class time can be spent on discussion and understanding

  • Use discussions, writing, mathematical equations, and movement when appropriate to work with different learning styles

Compiled, student-generated data from a snow science lesson in McCall

MOSS Experience

I spent 2016-2017 at the University of Idaho's McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS), in McCall Idaho. I was a Ph.D. fellow where I supervised and instructed Master's students, taught K-12 students in Ponderosa State Park, but most importantly learned how to be a better teacher. I took classes in Science Communication and Place-Based Education, better enabling me to effectively guide student learning.

A yurt on the MOSS campus. Graduate courses were taught in yurts, and they were also used as classrooms and meeting places for K-12 students

Me, with two teaching awards I won in 2019 :

  • Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, voted by EARTH faculty

  • GeoClub Best Graduate Student Instructor Award, voted by undergrads within the major

Each award came with a hat as a prize; I thought I'd wear both.

Student Reviews:

"Mark's dogged attempts to make sure every last one of us knew exactly what we were doing are great (at the beginning of lab and whenever we had questions during)... His joy at doing science definitely helped make a 3 hour lab feel like an afternoon tea, and I will miss the enthusiasm and wide knowledge base he brought to class every day." - Environmental Geochemistry, 2019

"Mark is hands down one of the best GSI's I have had. He is very patient and understanding. The classroom environment was very open and welcoming to all, I honestly don't know if I would have done as well without a GSI who wanted everyone to succeed." - Sedimentary Geology, 2018

"Mark is the best GSI I have ever had, and if I knew that he was going to be teaching other environ classes I think I would definitely take them if they were upper level. He is passionate, flexible, and patient and I think that is one of the best combinations you can have in a GSI. He definitely cares about his students and work, and is great at explaining things. I'm so thankful to have had him as my teacher." - Introductory Geology, 2016

"This man is passionate about what he does and I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this. He really cares and wants you to see the beauty in not knowing. Would give him a 10/10 on yelp." - Sedimentary Geology, 2018